trust isn't built on sand
by Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: It's tangible and obvious and if only it wasn't.


**A/N: There is a warning for this fic that is a spoiler, so it will be in the end notes, where it is bold again.**

1\. dream

The rain did not subside when it was time to leave. Though both were soaked to the bone, it did not evoke a dreary atmosphere.

Daisy could still feel the kiss he pressed to her forehead. She wondered if it was too much to ask that phantom feeling stay there a while.  
Luigi did not realize until long after, but he didn't flinch when she placed her hands upon his back.

2\. sand

"Why do you wear a shirt at the beach?"

Luigi glanced up from the shells when she asked the blunt question. His averted his gaze.

"Same reason you do," he said, "Don't wanna get sunburned."

"You know, I don't wear it all the time at the beach," Daisy replied.

"Opposites attract."

She made a wry face at that remark. "Seriously, why?"

"Shouldn't see my back." He brushed off the sand from a white, curved shell.

Daisy watched him, a thoughtful expression on her face. It morphed into a grin.  
There was a determined glint in her eyes when she exclaimed, "Guess I'll have to find out!"

"Daisy-"

She suddenly lunged forward and tried to grab at the shirt.

"Hey-" He jumped just out of her reach.

"C'mon, I just wanna know!"

"_No_," he said, his voice so panicked that it made Daisy stop short.  
His foot slipped on the sand and Luigi fell, the waves crashing over him.  
He coughed and sputtered when the waves drew back and rubbed at his eyes.

Daisy was standing in front of him when his vision cleared. "Are you okay?! Are you okay, Luigi, I'm sorry, I-"

She reached out a hand to him and he flinched. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

"I'm all right. Just leave it alone, _please_," he said, desperation coating the last word.

Daisy let her hand drop. "Okay. Okay."

An awkwardness stifled the air for the rest of the day.

3\. avoid

Daisy was avoiding him.

Of course it was so that time would heal that awkwardness, give Luigi space and make it so that the incident could be easily forgotten.

Unfortunately, being a princess meant hosting formal parties like this and she hoped to be lost in the crowd.  
Daisy spotted him and tried to camouflage with the wall, cursing her luck.

She nestled herself in-between the walls and stole a look at him. Their eyes met and he gave her a small smile and a wave.  
Daisy quickly moved back, pressing herself against the wall.

She looked at the floor and shook her head. "What am I doing?"

She gathered up her courage and walked out to meet him. She gave a hasty greeting when she met him and received one.

"I'd like to dance with you," Daisy announced.

Luigi nodded and Daisy reached out to rest her hands on his back.

Her hands stopped halfway, splayed and frozen.  
She slowly moved them away and rested one hand on his shoulder and grabbed his other hand.

As they began to dance, Daisy drew in a breath.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Luigi gently squeezed her hand.

"It's all right. We're all right.

4\. preparation

His hands tugged at his shirt, stretching out the fabric as much as it could go. Anxiousness burned in his stomach and his breath caught in his throat.

His hands loosened.

It would be okay, he told himself. It would be okay.

A phantom feeling crawled across his back but he hurried away the doubt.

5\. trust

The waves were calm, washing away footprints and abandoned sandcastles. Daisy was jumping as the waves came forward, bobbing along with the current.  
She jumped up once more and let the wave carry her back to shore. She hurried to the beach towel and settled herself beside Luigi.

"You should join me," she said, playfully poking at his cheek.  
He gently took her hand and pressed it against his cheek.

"I have something to tell you first," he said as he let go of her hand.  
Luigi ran a hand through his hair.

"I... Well, I... my back, it..."

He took in a deep breath while Daisy looked at him with a mixture of apprehension and worry. Breathing out, Luigi reached behind and pulled up the fabric of his shirt.  
Daisy breathed in a sharp breath before she could stop herself.

On his back were three jagged scars. They looked as though they had been carved there, from his right shoulder blade to his left side. The scars were slightly raised and the color was a raw, agonizing red.

"Who did this?" Daisy asked, her voice cold.

"A ghost... in the graveyard, but it's in a painting now-"

"I'll burn it."

"Please don't do that..."

Daisy's glare softened at his tone and she awkwardly shifted her position to face Luigi.

"Did... do they, you know, hurt?"

Luigi pulled the shirt back down before he replied. "Only if I get hit there or fall - well, they don't hurt."  
He rubbed the back of his neck.

Daisy tried to think of something reassuring ("They don't look so bad"? "Don't worry about it"?) but didn't feel it was right to say.  
She moved closer to him.

"Thank you," she said. "For trusting me."

It was quiet and Luigi reached out to hug her. She rested her hands on his back and he didn't flinch.

**A/N: Originally posted on Ao3 on November 17th 2016.**

**Warning for scars.**

**Inspiration comes in that I have a keloid right on my collarbone. For those who don't know a keloid is basically a raised scar that has an overgrowth of granulation tissue. It's firm, smooth and rubbery and doesn't hurt, unless I get hit there. The thing is that I've had experiences with people, sometimes even adults, pointing at it and going, "WHAT'S THAT?!" And after I tell them what it is, while instinctively covering it up, they say, "Oh, don't cover it up, it's not that bad" which is nice in theory but is kind of negated because they reacted in such a way. Oh, well. It's easier to just wear T-shirts that cover the keloid.  
I think one of the worst feelings in the world is when you're playing around with someone and you go too far or something. And you get that cold feeling in your stomach and chest and realize, "Oh no, oh no, I messed up, I messed uuup." Terrible.**


End file.
